The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1887-12-03
YACHTING ON LAND.
Queer Vessels That Sail On sand ~ NJ
AstoAIshiag speed.

Tho sport of yachting In the ordl-
nary sense Of the torn, dates back To
the commencement of the fifteenth
century, and tho force Of the wind has
been utilized for assisting the propul-
sion Of carriage. in Eastern countries
from timo immemorial; but the use Of
( swift-sailing vehicles, capable Of being
maneuyercd like ships at sea. and de-
voted entirely IN pleasure purposes, Is
quite n modern departure. Southport
is the locality par excellence for sand
yachting, the great stretches Of firm.
smooth sand along this part Of the
Lancashire coast sffording ample
sea room for tho ovolutions OF these
singular and somewhat ghostly-loOk-
ing craft
The sand yacht 10 simple in con-
structlon. consisting essentially OF
long. narrow body, with seats along
tho sides for passengers, mounted on
four wooden wheels The back whools
Of sand yacht serve exactly the same
purpose ~ tho rudder Of boat The
wheels ara strOngly built with wide
treads TO prevent thoir sinking In the
sand when passing over soft places,
and arc covered with splash-boards in
the usual mann@. Tho yachts arc Of
| different sizos, somo being able 10
accommodate about twenty people,
though they raroly carry 50 many
The smaller craft aro outtor-rigged,
with largo mainsail and jibSail
stretched from tho point Of Il bow
spirit some six feet long, projecting
| from tho front nxlo.
Tho larger yachts have two masts,
carrying mainsail, forosail and jib.
Tho sails. rigging and running gear
sre almost identical with those COM
mon on boats and small yachts, tho
sprsod Of canvas being about the same
as on raoins boats Of equal length.
Loosl il,horrasn form the crew, tho
outtors being manned by two and the
sOhoonsrs by three men.
Whcs sand yacht IL ready for a
oruso. win, all sail sot and her com
plomont of passengers aboard. tho
stocrsuIan takes his place Mt the holm.
while his mato siyos tho craft start
by placing his back To tho front axle
md pressing against tho sand with his
fpet when ho focls that she is fairly
undcr wcigh hn climbs nimbly on
board aud seats himself or stands near
tho mnst his duty boing TO attend to
tho jib sheet and keep a sharp lookout
ahead. whilo tho holmsman directs
tho course and looks after tho main
shoot.
If thcro is good breeze the yacht
soon acquires considerable velocity.
which 10 liable, however, TO continual
variation. according TO tho force Of tho
wind and tho state of the sand. At
ono time. with fresh broc5e and firm,
smooth bottom, she may bo gliding
along at perhaps n rato of twenty
miles an hour Directly afterward
lull in tho wind and soft or rough sand
may reduce tho speed to seven or eight
miles. Regarding the maximum speeds
attained. the fishermen toll some pretty
stiff yarns.
Wo have heard hundred miles an
hour spoken OF quite seriously; but
reason for believing that under tho
0ost favorable circumstances velocity
of bSlrty-ilyo or forty miles an hour is
over exceeded. Even this is an enor-
NOUS speed. and il is plain that
vehicles moving Mt any thing APP
preaching such ratio must bo handled
in very careful manner to avoid acci-
dents. And hore we may say that the
addition of powerful brakes to the
front whocls would be an improve
mont. So far rs we have noticed.
mono of tho yachts aro at present fitted
with these u,oful appliances.
The sand yachts are able to proceed
against tho wind by "tacking" or
maxim. z.zag course With stiif
breeze they sail very close to the wind.
ahd havo n great advantage over their
sisters of tho sea in not making any
'loeway." The operation of putting
about" must be done quickly, or thoro
vii, DO chance OF missing stays"
and. as n matter Of fact, the change
from one tack to tho other is effected
so smoothly that the unwary passen-
gcr is apt TO find himself left sitting in
the sand a. the yacht sails gracefully
aeay on her new course.
Now aud then patch of sand. deep
furrowcd by the reccding tile may be
crossed, when the motion becomes dis
agresably rough. But, on the whole,
the movement Ia smooth and pleasant;
and. without doubt snnd-yachting
provides hoslthful and interesting